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Boris Johnson has been accused of misleading voters after claiming the risk of crashing out of the EU without a trade deal at the end of 2020 is “absolutely zero”.
The prime minister was criticised after dismissing the danger of a no-deal Brexit, despite senior Conservatives, including Michael Gove, admitting it is still “on the table” in little over a year’s time.
The risk remains because Mr Johnson has insisted he will not extend the post-Brexittransition period – during which EU trade will continue uninterrupted – despite experts dismissing the prospect of a new deal by December 2020.
But, quizzed about the dangers on the campaign trail, he claimed: “I think they're absolutely zero.”
David Gauke, the former Conservative treasury minister now running as an independent, said: “I believe the trade experts.”
Pointing to the consensus of experts, the ‘guarantee’ not to extend transition and the claim that the risk of a crash-out was “absolutely zero”, he added: “At least one statement is inaccurate.”
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And Tom Brake, the Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesman, said: “If Johnson's claiming the chances of crashing out at the end of 2020 are absolutely zero, it must be a racing certainty we will do exactly that.
“There is no chance whatsoever we will be able to negotiate our new relationship with the EU by the end of 2020, so a no-deal crash out beckons.”
And the Conservatives have been accused of a deal with Nigel Farage to stiffen resistance to a long transition, before his U-turn that means he will not contest Tory-held seats.
The timetable for a new trade deal is even shorter than the end of 2020, because an extension to the transition period must be requested by June 2020.
Remarkably, the non-binding political declaration agreed by the UK and EU says the future negotiations “will convene at a high level in June 2020” – the deadline for making that extension decision.
Brussels has already warned that the UK’s wish to diverge from standards - on workers’ rights and environmental and consumer protections – will put up big obstacles.
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